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12 Best Credit Card Processing Companies of April 2024

Consider your business’s specific industry needs, sales volume and whether it does more sales online or offline to find the right credit card processing company.
By Lisa A. Anthony, Hillary Crawford
Last updated on March 6, 2024
Edited byChristine Aebischer
Fact checked and reviewed

⏰ Estimated read time: 12 minutes

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The best credit card processing companies have competitive and transparent pricing, accept credit card payments plus a range of other payment methods, have accessible customer service options and commonly offer point-of-sale (POS) systems as well. 
Here are our top choices for the best credit card processing companies and what makes them stand out.

Best Credit Card Processing Companies

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Estimates assume an average interchange fee of 1.81% + $0.10, based on our latest available data. Estimates provided reflect online and in-person transactions, but exclude any keyed transactions. Estimates are based on the lowest monthly plan and processing fees for each provider.

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National Processing

Learn more

on National Processing's secure website

Get an estimated monthly cost for your business.
5.0/5

Best for Low, flat-rate processing

2.5% + $0.10

for Basic In-Person Package.

$9.95

for Basic In-Person Package.

Get an estimated monthly cost for your business.
Learn more

on National Processing's secure website

Shopify Payments

Learn more

on Shopify Payments' secure website

4.5/5

Best for Shopify e-commerce users

In-person: 2.6% + $0.10

Online: 2.9% + $0.30

$39.00

Basic plan; $105 Shopify plan; $399 Advanced plan.

Learn more

on Shopify Payments' secure website

Helcim

Learn more

on Helcim's secure website

5.0/5

Best for Interchange-plus pricing

In-person: 0.4% + $0.08

Online: 0.5% + $0.25

Plus interchange

$0.00

Learn more

on Helcim's secure website

Square

Learn more

on Square's secure website

5.0/5

Best for All-in-one payment services

In-person: 2.6% + $0.10

Online: 2.9% + $0.30

$0.00

Starts at $0/month for unlimited devices and locations.

Learn more

on Square's secure website

Stripe

Learn more

on Stripe Payments' secure website

5.0/5

Best for E-commerce businesses

In-person: 2.7% + $0.05

Online: 2.9% + $0.30

$0.00

Learn more

on Stripe Payments' secure website

Stax by Fattmerchant

Learn more

on Stax by Fattmerchant's secure website

4.0/5

Best for Membership-style pricing

In-person: 0% + $0.08

Online: 0% + $0.15

Plus interchange

$99.00

and up.

Learn more

on Stax by Fattmerchant's secure website

Payment Depot

Learn more

on Payment Depot's secure website

4.0/5

Best for High-volume sales

0.2% + $0.00

to 1.95%, plus interchange.

$79.00

and up.

Learn more

on Payment Depot's secure website

PaymentCloud

Learn more

on PaymentCloud's secure website

4.5/5

Best for High-risk businesses

2.4% + $0.10

to 3.5% + $0.25 on average.

$0.00

to $50.

Learn more

on PaymentCloud's secure website

Chase Payment Solutions℠

Learn more

on Chase Payment Solutions℠'s secure website

4.5/5

Best for Built-in banking partner

In-person: 2.6% + $0.10

Online: 2.9% + $0.25

$0.00

Monthly fee in some instances.

Learn more

on Chase Payment Solutions℠'s secure website

Payline

4.5/5

Best for Shopping cart integrations

In-person: 0.4% + $0.10

Online: 0.75% + $0.20

Plus interchange

$10.00

in person; $20 online.

Dharma Merchant Services

4.5/5

Best for Nonprofits

In-person: 0.15% + $0.08

Online: 0.2% + $0.11

Plus interchange

$15.00

for most industries; $12 for nonprofits.

Payanywhere

4.5/5

Best for Small, in-person transactions

In-person: 2.69% + $0.00

Online: 3.49% + $0.19

$0.00

and up.

Our pick for

Low, flat-rate processing

National Processing

Learn more

on National Processing's secure website

Payment processing fees
2.5% + $0.10

for Basic In-Person Package.

Monthly fee
$9.95

for Basic In-Person Package.

Our pick for

Shopify e-commerce users

Shopify Payments

Learn more

on Shopify Payments' secure website

Monthly fee
$39.00

Basic plan; $105 Shopify plan; $399 Advanced plan.

Our pick for

Interchange-plus pricing

Learn more

on Helcim's secure website

Monthly fee
$0.00

Our pick for

All-in-one payment services

Learn more

on Square's secure website

Monthly fee
$0.00

Starts at $0/month for unlimited devices and locations.

Our pick for

E-commerce businesses

Learn more

on Stripe Payments' secure website

Monthly fee
$0.00

Our pick for

Membership-style pricing

Stax by Fattmerchant

Learn more

on Stax by Fattmerchant's secure website

Monthly fee
$99.00

and up.

Our pick for

High-volume sales

Payment Depot

Learn more

on Payment Depot's secure website

Payment processing fees
0.2% + $0.00

to 1.95%, plus interchange.

Monthly fee
$79.00

and up.

Our pick for

High-risk businesses

PaymentCloud

Learn more

on PaymentCloud's secure website

Payment processing fees
2.4% + $0.10

to 3.5% + $0.25 on average.

Monthly fee
$0.00

to $50.

Our pick for

Built-in banking partner

Chase Payment Solutions℠

4.5
NerdWallet rating 
Learn more

on Chase Payment Solutions℠'s secure website

Monthly fee
$0.00

Monthly fee in some instances.

Our pick for

Shopping cart integrations

Payline

Monthly fee
$10.00

in person; $20 online.

Our pick for

Nonprofits

Dharma Merchant Services

Monthly fee
$15.00

for most industries; $12 for nonprofits.

Our pick for

Small, in-person transactions

Payanywhere

Monthly fee
$0.00

and up.

Our picks for best credit card processing companies

Square: Best for all-in-one payment services

Why we like it: Square stands apart from the competition with its flat-rate pricing and end-to-end payment processing solution. This means it handles most aspects of a credit card transaction, so you don’t need to purchase a payment gateway (a payment processing portal) or point-of-sale system from separate providers. Square provides a free credit card reader that works with its free app and a smartphone or tablet. Read our full Square review.

Helcim: Best for interchange-plus pricing

Why we like it: Helcim's pricing model is transparent, with no hidden fees. It uses interchange-plus pricing with volume-based discounts, making it a particularly cost-effective option for businesses with high monthly sales. The company has customer support available by phone, as well as comprehensive support resources on its website. Read our full Helcim review.

Stax: Best for membership-style pricing

Why we like it: Stax's membership pricing model can save some businesses enough money to justify the monthly fee, especially if they have high sales volumes. Stax offers same-day funding for an additional fee. Phone-based support and an online knowledge base also make it a solid choice. Read our full Stax review.

Stripe: Best for e-commerce businesses

Why we like it: Stripe enables your business to accept a wide range of online payment methods, including mobile wallets like Apple Pay, Google Pay and Alipay. It also lets you offer financing options to customers through "buy now, pay later" companies like Klarna and Afterpay. Read our full Stripe review.

Payment Depot: Best for high-volume sales

Why we like it: Payment Depot's rates make it a cost-efficient option to consider if you are a medium- or high-volume merchant. Its monthly subscription fee is based on your processing volume, and it doesn't charge a markup on the interchange rate. Read our full Payment Depot review.

PaymentCloud: Best for high-risk businesses

Why we like it: PaymentCloud works with businesses in high-risk industries, including those selling age-restricted products like tobacco and firearms; businesses that have high chargeback rates, such as electronics resellers; or those that may face a higher risk of fraud, such as finance companies. PaymentCloud also provides seven-days-a-week customer support for businesses in these industries. Read our full PaymentCloud review.

Dharma Merchant Services: Best for nonprofits

Why we like it: Dharma Merchant Services describes itself as a “socially responsible” merchant services provider. It makes sense, then, with the company’s commitment to sustainability and charitable giving, that it also offers discounted monthly and payment processing fees to registered nonprofits. Dharma is also fully transparent with its pricing, which isn’t true for all credit card processing companies. Read our full Dharma Merchant Services review.

Shopify Payments: Best for Shopify e-commerce users

Why we like it: Shopify Payments has competitive rates for payment processing and integrates directly with Shopify. Because you must have a paid Shopify plan to use its payment processing and POS solutions, Shopify Payments is a great fit for a business that already has a Shopify plan for e-commerce. Read our full Shopify Payments review.

National Processing: Best for low, flat-rate processing

Why we like it: With low processing fees, no long-term contracts and lots of integration options, National Processing can be a good option for businesses looking for a flat-rate processor. Just make sure to speak with a representative before signing up to find out whether you qualify for perks like a free terminal or other promotions.

Chase Payment Solutions: Best for built-in banking partner

Why we like it: If you already have a business bank account through Chase, processing payments through the company can be a convenient option. Plus, you get access to same-day deposits when you use Chase’s Smart Terminal.

Payline Data: Best for shopping cart integrations

Why we like it: Payline Data is transparent with its monthly and payment processing fees and is one of the rarer credit card processing companies that work with high-risk merchants. It also integrates with many popular shopping carts, including Shopify, WooCommerce and BigCommerce, to enable you to easily take payments through your online store. Read our full Payline Data review.

Payanywhere: Best for small, in-person transactions

Why we like it: Payanywhere does not add a markup fee to its flat-rate, in-person transaction fee, which makes it a cost-efficient option for small transactions at a brick-and-mortar business. However, depending on the hardware you choose, costs could add up quickly with Payanywhere as your provider. Read our full Payanywhere review.

What is credit card processing?

Credit card processing involves authorizing and transferring funds between a customer’s issuing bank and a business’s merchant bank to complete a sale. It only takes a few seconds to authorize a customer’s credit card information, but the process doesn’t stop at the checkout line. After the card reader lets you know the customer’s credit card information has been approved, money moves from bank to bank via the settlement process, which usually takes at least one business day to complete.
Brick-and-mortars need software and hardware to accept credit card payments in-person — lots of credit card processing companies offer both. Square, for example, sells card readers and POS systems, plus monthly software plans that start at $0. As opposed to a physical card reader, online businesses need a payment gateway that lets customers securely enter their credit card information online and get it authorized. These generally come bundled together with payment processing services, too.

How much does credit card processing cost?

Expect to pay for a monthly subscription and per-transaction costs for credit card processing fees. Some monthly subscriptions are free while others cost upwards of $99. Credit card processing companies also charge a per-transaction fee that may vary depending on the card type and payment method (in-person or online).
Most of the time, that per-transaction fee will look something like 2.6% plus 15 cents, for example. Per-transaction costs are made up of three components: interchange fees, which are paid to the issuing bank; assessment fees, which are paid to the card networks; and payment processor fees.
Credit card processing companies that charge higher monthly subscription fees may offer lower processing fees — you’ll need to evaluate your business’s monthly sales volume and average sales cost to determine whether that model will save you money. Others have volume discounts, meaning you’ll pay less per transaction if you do more than $50,000 in sales per month, for example.
If you aren't sure where to start, NerdWallet's list of the cheapest credit card processing companies is a good launching point.

How to choose a credit card processing company

Starting out, look for credit card processing companies that can accommodate payments within each of your sales channels, whether those are online, in-person or both. If you prefer an all-in-one payment processor and POS system provider, rule out companies that don’t sell their own hardware (POS terminals, card readers, etc.).
Here are some additional factors to consider to choose the right credit card processing company for you.
  • Cost: On top of weighing payment processing fees and monthly subscription costs, look for credit card processing companies that don’t charge extra fees for setup, termination or PCI compliance
  • Deposit timing: Ideally, a credit card processing company will offer same-day or next-day deposits. That way, you don’t have to wait long for customers’ payments to show up in your bank account. 
  • Contracts: Switching credit card processing companies can be a pain, but you still want to leave the option open. Try to narrow your choices down to companies that don’t require you to sign a long-term contract. 
  • Customer service: Consider live chat and phone support options, as well as which days and times they’re available. If your business is open outside of normal business hours, it might be convenient to go with a product that offers around-the-clock support. 
  • Integrations: If your credit card processing company offers its own POS software, make sure it integrates seamlessly with your accounting system and any additional programs you use for other tasks, like inventory management. Also determine whether you need to integrate with e-commerce software and online shopping carts. 
Last updated on March 6, 2024

Methodology

NerdWallet’s ratings of payment processing providers rewards companies whose products and services are priced well and work in a variety of payment scenarios, among other criteria. Ratings are based on weighted averages of scores in several categories, including overall cost, hardware and software options, system capabilities, customer service, contract requirements and integrations. Learn more about how we rate payment processing providers.
These ratings are a guide, but fees, hardware, software and contract requirements can vary widely from business to business and provider to provider. We encourage you to shop around and compare several providers.
NerdWallet does not receive compensation for any reviews. Read our editorial guidelines.
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